1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of weight control, and to the particular field of methods for effecting weight control.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many people are not at the weight that they desire and would like to lose weight or gain weight to achieve a weight that is either ideal or desired. However, the difficulties of changing one's weight have been well documented and many, if not most, people never achieve their goal.
Therefore, there is a need for an effective method for controlling a person's weight.
For this reason, the art contains a multiplicity of weight-control means and methods. These means and methods range from word of mouth to scientific. There are also a multitude of reasons why a particular means or method will not work or has not worked for each person. Some of these reasons include time, will power, monitoring, lack of positive reinforcement, lack of the proper reinforcement, and the like. For whatever reason, many of the prior art means and methods have failed to achieve maximum effectiveness.
One effective method for controlling a person's weight has been a personal program under the direction of a health care practitioner. One problem with this method is the time required for the person to travel to the location of the health care practitioner, and to be monitored and advised. This problem is often exacerbated if the person has to travel a sizeable distance to the health care practitioner. This problem often discourages a person from visiting the health care practitioner when he or she most needs to see that practitioner. Once a person begins to skip visits to the health care practitioner, that person often loses interest in the entire program.
Sometimes, it is not convenient for the person to travel to the health care practitioner who is monitoring and mentoring him. Sometimes, it is not convenient for the health care practitioner to see the person, and an appointment must be made. All of this may combine to discourage a person from remaining on a weight-control program.
However, the inventor has found that slimming clubs are a very effective method for losing weight. A slimming club normally consists of weekly group sessions supervised by a qualified group leader. A group leader is not necessarily a qualified health practitioner but is often a previous slimming club member who has successfully lost weight and kept his or her weight at a desired goal. These role model individuals are then trained by the slimming club to be able to supervise and conduct group sessions. These sessions typically last one to two hours. At these sessions, each member has his or her weight checked and recorded, called a “weekly weigh-in,” and the member may stay as long or as little as he likes. Some members like to stay and discuss his or her progress, others just weigh in and leave. Those that have lost weight receive praise, often in a group setting, and those that have not lost weight receive encouragement and support. Those that just weigh in and leave because they cannot afford the time or for whatever reason are often those that struggle most with losing weight. One problem with this method is the time required for the person to travel to the location of the slimming club, and to be monitored and advised. This problem is often exacerbated if the person has to travel a sizable distance to the slimming club.
The key success ingredients in being a successful member of a slimming club are (i) regular, generally weekly, weigh-ins; and (ii) words or gestures of encouragement from the slimming club leader, such as notes through the mail, at a weekly meeting, or at random periodic intervals that are tailored to the needs of the individual.
Therefore, there is a need for an effective method for controlling weight which can include principles associated with slimming clubs but which is not subject to many of the drawbacks associated with slimming clubs.